Articles

Comedian Louis C.K. made headlines in June when he announced tickets for his fall stand-up tour would be sold exclusively through his website. Rolling Stone speculated that the artist-controlled model might offer a new way of doing business for traveling entertainers of all stripes. But Travis Janovich, the founder and CEO of Morrisville-based Etix.com Inc. — the ticket platform C.K. uses to process sales — isn’t so sure the comedian’s gambit signals a sea change.

The sporting events that Hill Carrow brings to North Carolina may not be as familiar as the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball tournament or U.S. Open golf tournament, but some have been more lucrative and drawn bigger crowds.

The Charlotte energy sector, which President Barack Obama has repeatedly praised, features such behemoths as Duke Energy Corp. and Siemens Energy Inc., a subsidiary of Germany-based Siemens AG. But economic-development officials are quick to admit its biggest flaw: a lack of startups.

Barbra Streisand seemed a bit flustered. Wearing a majestic necklace with shiny black stones and a flowing maroon dress, the veteran actress and pop star was standing at the podium during the Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles Feb. 13.

When hard times forced a stock-car team to cut costs in racing’s early days, it usually meant losing five or six grease monkeys. “Now, you’ve got to put another zero on everything,” says Humpy Wheeler, former president and general manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway.